A representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, and the leadership of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are preparing a meeting at which they plan to discuss resuming supplies of Russian gas to Germany.
Reuters reports this, citing two people familiar with the plans.
According to the agency, the meeting could take place as early as March 2027. Those expected to take part include Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, as well as AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla.
At the same time, holding the meeting would depend on a framework peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia being reached beforehand. Possible venues mentioned for the talks include Israel, the United Arab Emirates and India.
According to Reuters sources, the sides may discuss a possible resumption of operations of the Russian Nord Stream gas pipelines. The organisers had also hoped for the participation of US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
However, a senior US official told Reuters that Witkoff and Kushner had not been invited to the proposed meeting and were not informed about its preparation.
In June, Alice Weidel said in an interview with Reuters that she supported ending the boycott of Russian oil and gas. She linked access to cheap Russian energy resources with supporting the German economy.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia supplied more than half of Germany’s natural gas imports. After Russian deliveries were reduced and Nord Stream ceased operating, Germany changed the structure of its energy supplies.
The idea of resuming supplies of Russian gas has already drawn criticism from German politicians.
Green Party MP Michael Kellner said Germany should not become dependent on Russia again. He said the energy crisis after Russian supplies were cut cost the country €50 billion.
Christian Democratic Union MP Roderich Kiesewetter said Russia uses energy, including Nord Stream, as an instrument of hybrid influence. He also spoke out against any possible resumption of the pipeline’s operations. These assessments reflect the position of German politicians, as cited by Reuters.
At the same time, AfD is not part of Germany’s federal government, so any potential meeting would primarily be political and symbolic in nature. According to Reuters, the party is seeking to use the issue of cheap energy in its politics against the backdrop of high energy prices.